Electrically-controlled fuel-inlet device



Jan. 25, 1927 1,615,512

w. J. HARKIN ELECTRICALL-Y CONTROLLED FUEL INLET DEVICE Filed August 51,1925 gnmwto'r,

Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIGALLY-CONTROLLED FUEL-INLET DEVICE.

Application filed August 31, 1923. Serial No. 660,445.

My invention relates to improvements in electrically controlled devicesfor governing the flow of fuel to internal combustion engines and is acontinuation in part of my application Serial Number 554,040 filed April17, 1922.

The object of my invention is to provide electrically operated meansarranged to be ccmnected with the generator circuit of the engine of amotor vehicle for controlling or governing the supply of fuel to saiden- "1116. b A more specific object is to provide electrically operatedmeans that may be used in connection with and in addition to the maincarbureter of an engine to supply fuel to the engine for slow speed oridling purposes, said means being adapted to be connected with the fuelinlet passageway to the engine at a point between the engine and thethrottle valve and being arranged to be closed by electrical means andopened by the pressure of a spring.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Before describing the invention in detail I desire to have it understoodthat the invention is not limited to the particular construction andarrangement of parts which I have illustrated and shall hereinafterdescribe and that various changes may be made in the mechanism shownwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and thatthe phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and notfor limitation.

In the drawings the figure is a view in cross section of an electricallyoperated fuel inlet device constructed in accordance with my invention.

In the art of fuel carburetion one of the most difficult problemsusually encountered in carbureter construction and adjustment is theproblem of providing a carbureter that will operate with maximumefficiency at both high and low speeds of the engine, it usually beingfound that, when a carbureter is adjusted to the greatest possibleefficiency for high speeds of the engine said carbureter will notoperate satisfactorily when the engine is running at the very slow speedcommonly termed idling. The present invention overcomes this difiicultyby providing a separate low speed fuel inlet device arranged to beopened by suction when the engine is running at. a very slow speed tosupply fuel for idling the engine and to be closed automatically whenthe engine is run- :ing at a higher speed.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates a body having achamber 2 communicating by a passageway 3 with a boss 4; to which a fuelinlet pipe, not shown, may be connected. A needle valve 6, having anenlarged upper end 7 that screws into the housing 1 is disposed axiallywithin the chamber 2 with its point 8 in alignment with and arranged toenter the passageway 3, the outer end of said needle valve beingprovided with means 9 by which it may be adjusted to vary the area ofthe valve opening 3 through which fuel may enter,

The chamber 2 is connected by a passageway 10 with a chamber 11 whereinis disposed a valve stem 12 having at one end a pointed valve member 13arranged to close the passageway 10 and having at the other end apointed valve member 14: arranged to close a valve port 15 in the end ofa. shank or stem 16 that has a tubular bore 17 within which a portion ofthe valve stem 12 is disposed. The tubular shank 16 is preferably ofmagnetic material and projects through the end 18 of the housing 1 whichend and housing are preferably of nonmagnetic material.

Secured to the valve stem 12 and disposed within the chamber 11 is anarmature 19, preferably of cylindrical shape, and having an annularflange 20 that terminates short of the wall of the chamber 11 so thatfuel may pass freely through said chamber. A compression spring 21between the wall 18 and flange 20 tends to urge the valve stem 12 to theleft as seen in the drawings to close the valve 13. The valve stem 12 ispreferably guided within the passageway 17 in the shank 16 by anysuitable means that will not obstruct the flow of fuel as for instanceportions of said stem 12 may be of triangular cross sectional shape ormay be provided with fin members that slide in the bore 17.

The end of the shank 16 may be screwed into, or otherwise connected withthe body portion 22 of a carbureter, preferably above the throttlevalve, so that when the throttle valve is closed maximum suction throughthis fuel supply device will be exerted.

An electromagnet coil or winding 23 is provided on the shank 16 and isconnected in the generator circuit of the motor vehicle on which thedevice is installed. The generator, being connected directly with theengine, will deliver very little current through the coil 28 when theengine is idling or running slowly but will deliver more current as thespeed of the engine increases.

In operation, when the engine is running at any speed higher than theslow or idling speed the coil 28 will be energized and by magnetizingthe shank 16 will cause the armature 19 to be attracted or drawn towardsuch shank 16 thus moving the valve stem 12 so that the valve 14 willclose the passage way 15 and prevent the low of fuel to the carburetor.As the speed of the engine decreases the amount of current in thegenerator circuit decreases so that when the engine is running at theslow or idling speed the force of the spring 21 overbalances the forceof the electromagnet and moves the valve stem to the left opening thepassageway 15 by withdrawin valve 14-. At the time this opening of thevalve 14 takes place the throt tle valve in the carbureter 22 will beclosed and the suction of the engine acting on the armature 19 andflange 20 will hold the valve 13 open slightly and draw in fuel from thechamber 2 which fuel will pass on through the bore 17 and into theengine.

hen the engine is stopped no suction-will be exerted and the pressure ofthe spring 21 will cause the valve member 13 to close the passageway 10thereby preventing leakage of fuel. If desired the valve 13 may be disp'ensed with and a suction operated check valve inserted in fuel inletpipe 5. Air may also be admitted through pipe 5 along with the fuel ifdesired. 25 is an engine driven generator.

The needle valve 8 may be adjusted so that the proper amount of fuel foridling purposes will be admitted thus preventing any waste of fuel andtending to increase the general efliciency of an engine.

The device may be quickly and easily installed in connection with anyordinary carbureter so as to furnish fuel for idling purposes thusmaking it possible to adjust the carburetor for maximum efliciency atthe higher speed without reference to low speed or idling.

By connecting the device in the generator circuit the same is made tooperate automatically, opening when the engine is run ning idly at slowspeed and being closed electromagnetically when the engine is running athigher speeds.

lVhile I have described the device as particularly adapted for use insupplying fuel to an engine, at slow speeds, for idling purposes, itwill be understood that its use is not so limited but that the same maybe used for supplying fuel to an engine at higher speeds.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose aprefer-red form of my invention but it will be understood that thedisclosure is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made asare within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuelinlet system including a throttle valve, of valve controlled means forsupplying fuel at a point between the engine and the throttle valve forslow speeds of the engine, and electromagnetic devices arranged to beoperated by an increase in the speed of the engine for rendering saidfuel supply means inoperative.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a fuelinlet system includin g a carbureter, having a throttle valve, of valvecontrolled means for supplying fuel at a point between the engine andthe throttlevalve for slow speeds of the engine and electrical devicesgoverned by the speed of the engine for controlling the movement of saidindependent fuel supply means.

8. The combination with an internal combustion engine having anelectrical circuit supplied with current by a generator driven by theengine, of fuel inlet means connected with said englne, a throttle valvefor closing said fuel inlet means, independent fuel supply meansconnected with said fuel inlet means between the engine and the throttlevalve, a valve in said independent fuel supply means, rcsilient meansfor urging said valve into an open position to permit the inlet of fueland an electromagnet connected with said generator circuit and arrangedto exert a force that varies directly with the speed of the engine toclose said valve.

4. A device for supplying fuel for slow speed purposes to an internalcombustion engine, embodying a body member having two chambers formedtherein and having a passageway connecting said two chambers, means foradmitting fuel to one of said chambers, a tubular shank forming anelectromagnet core and having an axial bore communicating between saidtwo chambers, the outer end of said shank being arranged to be connectedwith a fuel inlet conduit of an internal combustion engine and said borebeing of reduced diameter near the outer end of said shank to form avalve port, a valve stem smaller than said bore movable axially thereinand having a valve member on one end, said valve members being arrangedto close the passageway between said two chambers, an armature on saidvalve stem Within said larger chamber, a spring urging said armatureaway from said electromagnet core and a winding on said core arranged tohave electric current flow therethrough to magnetize said core.

This foregoing specification signed at Seattle, Wash, July 31, 1923.

WALTER J. HABKIN.

